The Curious James Potter
by Trucklesinthetree
Summary: Albus Severus Potter has just started his first year at Hogwarts and James is taking on his 'big brother' role, but is he leading Albus astray? And who is acting rather strangely all of a sudden? Involves Marauders Map.
1. One Special Day

**Hiya, this will be a chaptered story focusing on James Sirius Potter and Albus Potter at Hogwarts as well as life in the Potter family :) Hope you like.**

**As always everything belongs to J.K.Rowling I just like to escape to it occasionally :)**

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**Chapter 1**

**One Special Day**

As the sun started making its way up for another morning all was still quiet in the little three-bedroom house. The birds had only just started twittering outside, flitting around the branches of one of the trees growing outside a small bay window, which opened out onto a little paved courtyard.

Inside, a couple of wooden cupboards, a chest of drawers as well as an ancient looking dressing table, all adorned with various photos of both children and adults waving and smiling from within their framed worlds, filled the bedroom. Various articles of clothing were strewn across the floor leading to where Harry was still asleep on his back, mouth slightly open and one arm up around his head. Across his chest and shoulder lay strands of red, auburn hair and Ginny's head resting on top of his arm.

Both were blissfully unaware that in the room next door someone's day had already started. Already dressed, apart from his socks, a young boy tiptoed across the room and pulled open the door. It creaked as it swung open and another voice, smothered by blankets, piped up from one of the two beds in the room.

'They're not going to be happy' came the other boys voice in a singsong tone.

'It's almost seven,' the young boy said a little defensively.

'Yes, and it's the weekend!' The boy appeared from under his covers. He was older than the other boy. 'Mum and Dad want a lay in so let them!'

'Just because you don't think anything important is happening today. Just because you've already started at Hogwarts and already got your potions and your wand and your robes.'

'Keep your voice down!' the older boy said, and he threw a pillow across the room at his brother.

'Don't!' the younger boy dogged the pillow but knocked into the chest of drawers by the door causing the items on the top to rattle loudly.

'What's going on in there?' Harry's voice carried into the boys' bedroom.

'Urgh!' the older of the two boys threw his brother a disgruntled look and dived back under his covers.

Harry sat up in bed yawning as his youngest son peered around the corner of the doorframe.

'What was going on in there? It's not even seven o'clock yet,' Harry said squinting at his battered watch on the bedside table. He reached for his glasses and put them on. Looking back at his son a dawning comprehension crossed his face and the hint of a slight smile.

Ginny stirred beside him and sat up brushing her red hair away from her eyes.

'Oh Albus,' she said, smiling, as she looked at her son who was still standing in the doorway. 'Did you get dressed in the dark?' she giggled. Albus moved to the foot of the bed, his buttons on his shirt were done up in the wrong holes making it lopsided.

'I just couldn't sleep anymore,' he answered sheepishly. 'I thought I would just get dressed - I want to make sure I'm all ready. Besides, James was making more noise than me! He thinks today is nothing special!'

'Yes, well I seem to remember a certain James Sirius Potter waking us up at five o'clock by jumping on our bed exclaiming about wands being sold out if we don't get there in time,' Harry said smiling at his younger son. 'Go and tell James to get up and ready for breakfast.' He winked.

Albus grinned broadly and ran from the room happily yelling 'James, Dad said you have to get up!'

Fifteen minutes later a tousle-haired and grumpy looking James emerged in the kitchen and flopped himself down at the table. Albus was already there tucking into a plate of pancakes, along with the rest of the family. Lily, the boys' younger sister was tickling the cat under the table with her foot and Harry had the Daily Prophet propped up against the milk jug.

'Oh look, George has a new advert in here for the joke shop,' he said folding one of the pages back and handing it to Ginny as she sat down.

'Oh, I can't wait to get our Christmas presents from Uncle George this year!' Albus said cheerily.

'Hmmm, well there had better not be anymore of those 'Skiving Snack-Boxes' in them again this year,' Ginny said casting a glance towards James who stared innocently back.

'You sound more like your mother everyday,' Harry said, grinning playfully as Ginny shot him a look he knew well.

'I bet you had some when you were at school didn't you Dad?' Albus asked enthusiastically.

'Never,' Harry answered, taking the paper back from Ginny. 'I was much to busy with other things.'

'Not even to get out of Binns' class?' James piped up, looking slightly less grumpy than before.

'No, besides if I had used any there were plenty of other classes I would have preferred to miss than Professor Binns'.

'Oh, I can't wait to have a ghost for a teacher,' Albus said excitedly.

'No, he's _the _most boring teacher ever – probably in the whole history of Hogwarts and that's a long time! You'll see,' James said quickly.

'You're probably only saying that 'cause you don't listen in class, anyway-'

'I can't help that if the teacher puts you to sleep, stupid!'

'Hey, don't call me stupid!'

'Alright, that's enough,' Harry jumped in before his two boys started a riot over the breakfast table. 'Nobody is stupid in this family.'

'What about Bumble, Daddy?' A small voice piped up.

'What?' Harry said turning to his daughter who was looking at him with wide eyes. 'Bumble, Mum's cat. You're always calling her stupid.'

Harry glanced over at Ginny.

'Really? How interesting,' Ginny said, looking back at her husband with raised eyebrows.

'Yeah, you said it yesterday Dad, when Mum was out visiting Aunt Hermione and you found Bumble- '

'Well…Aahhh…That's a…' Harry trailed off.

'Yes Harry?' Ginny said, a hidden smile at her lips.

Harry cleared his throat. 'Well, ah, I was wrong and nobody will be calling anybody stupid from now on.'

After a full plate of pancakes and syrup Albus looked up at the kitchen clock suddenly.

'Come on, look at the time, we have to go! I want to get all my stuff today.'

'Yes, yes good idea Al,' Harry said rather hurriedly, still looking for a change of subject from bumble.

'Oohh, wouldn't want them to run out of frog spawn!' James laughed as the two boys climbed the stairs.

'Hey, wait for me!' Lily cried out as scrambled up the stairs after her brothers.

'Such a good role-model for our children Harry,' Ginny said playfully as they both stood up to clear the table. She put her arms around his waist.

'Well, that cat of yours has a lot to answer for.'

Half an hour later they were all packed in the car and heading towards London. Harry had just recently purchased his new set of wheels and so had decided to drive the family rather than travelling by magical means. After forty-five minutes of James leading spirited versions of _"On top of Spaghetti"_ and _"Mrs. Maple's Magical Mittens"_ from the backseat however, he was starting to wish they had used the Floo network instead.

They finally managed to make their way into Diagon Alley after battling the London city traffic and Harry being cornered outside the Leaky Cauldron by Dedalus Digleby.

Diagon Alley was bustling with people as always when leading up to the start of school term. Harry managed to pull Lily away from a brightly decorated window displaying a range of variously coloured Pygmy Puffs as Ginny lead the boys over towards Flourish and Blotts.

'After we have got the boys what they need Lil, then we'll look around,' Harry said, trying to lead her away from the next brightly lit window.

'But we could look around while they're getting their things!'

'And leave your mother to have to handle your brothers all on her own? I don't think so, come on.' He took her by the hand and they moved off to where Ginny was standing waiting for them.

Books, potion supplies, cauldrons and new Hogwarts robes were bundled up. It took a long time for Albus to find a wand that suited him, but after several trials and a lot of wand waving that looked more like he was sword fighting they eventually emerged from the shop with Albus clutching his boxed wand tight to his chest.

'Now what else is there?' Ginny said, as she scanned the long list she had written out from the boys' booklists.

'The Firestar!' James said suddenly and ran past them over to Quidditch supplies where a large group of onlookers were gazing in the front window of the shop. The rest of the family caught up with him as he had his nose pressed flat against the window.

'Oh, can we get one Mum? It will be my birthday present for this year and the next, please?' Ginny looked over at Harry with a bemused expression. 'Dad, please?' James turned to his father. 'You know I want to try out for the Quidditch team this year! Oh, please?'

'We know James,' Ginny answered, putting a hand on her son's shoulder, 'but you don't need a Firestar to do that, it is much too expensive.'

James' face dropped but he said no more and turned back to the window again. 'Besides,' Ginny continued, 'I told you I will probably be getting you a good Nimbus from the club didn't I? And you were more than happy when I told you that.'

'I guess,' James sighed, fogging up the glass.

'Come on then, let's go and see George.' Ginny took Lily's hand and started walking up the main street towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It took her a few moments to realize she was talking away to herself, she turned to see Harry and the two boys still standing at the Quidditch supply window gazing fondly at the broom's handle.

'You wouldn't think I was the Professional Quidditch player in the family would you?' sighed Ginny. Lily Giggled.

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**Well , hope you enjoyed this first chapter, please review as it is great incentive to keep going :)**


	2. The Curious James Potter

**Finally the next chapter - hope you like :)**

**Chapter Two**

**The Curious James Potter**

After visiting George and taking a look at all the new joke shop products, as well as prizing Lily away from the promised Pygmy Puff visit it was well into the afternoon before they arrived back home.

Albus lugged his new possessions upstairs as soon as he got in the door. James found him ten minutes later lying on his bed eagerly looking through one of the books they had purchased from Flourish and Blotts.

'Herbology? Pooo! At least you could have been looking at something interesting like Transfiguration or Potions.'

'What's wrong with Herbology? Some of these plants look pretty interesting and deadly to me,' Albus replied, turning a page.

'You don't get to see any interesting ones though till you get up to 6th and 7th years – that's if you continue on for NEWT's.'

What about Care of Magical Creatures? What's that like?' Albus asked as he shut the Herbology book and pulled a heavy bound leather volume towards himself.

'Yeah, it's ok,' James answered, shrugging.

'So what sort of things do you learn about?'

'Oh, you know, unicorns, Bowtruckles…the odd Accumantula,' James grinned.

'You do not!' Albus answered quickly, though he looked slightly worried as he started flipping through the pages.

'C'mon,' James said after a while, 'let's go down to the park before dinner.' He jumped up off the bed and headed towards the door as Albus shut the creature book and stacked it neatly next to his trunk along with his other new possessions.

'Mum? Dad?' James called as they made their way out onto the landing and down the stairs. 'Can we go to the park?' There was no answer.

'Mum?'

"I'll see if they are out the back,' Albus said.

James continued towards the front of the house and then heard voices coming from the study.

'You know going to Diagon Alley with the kids really brings back all the days at Hogwarts,' Harry said as James opened the door a fraction and looked in.

'Hm, the good old days,' Ginny laughed. 'Well, apart from one tiny little problem hanging around at the time. It's amazing that this thing is still going strong! They really knew what they were doing when they made this didn't they? I still can't believe how you managed to get away with so much with it!'

"Oh, I'm sure Severus was onto it at some point,' Harry said grinning.

'Have you asked them yet?' Albus said as he came up behind James.

'Shh!' James answered just as his Mother leaned over and took an old piece of parchment out of his Dad's hands.

"I'd actually forgotten that you had this it's been so long! What are you going to do with it?' Ginny asked.

'I'm not sure. I've just kept it in the desk here and haven't taken it out for years. Must have been all the reminiscing from being in Diagon Alley.

'Well, you could pass it down, father to oldest son?'

'Could you imagine this in James' hands? We would be getting a letter from Hogwarts every week telling us about some trouble or other he has got himself into.'

'Hm, like taking night time strolls around the castle?' Ginny offered. 'Sneaking out to Hogsmeade without permission? Sound familiar?' She then took her wand and pointed it at the parchment saying clearly 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'

Black lines began to form across the page though James was too far away to make any of it out. Ginny unfolded the parchment to reveal more black lines threading their way across the inside pages.

'Well you're probably right,' Ginny said after a few moments, 'it's not really like James needs anymore encouragement.' She folded up the parchment again and handed it back to Harry who after saying 'Mischief Managed' placed it back under a pile of papers and closed the drawer.

"C'mon, what is it? What are you looking at?' Albus said, impatience in his voice and poking his brother in the back.

"Ow, don't do that!' James shot back. As he turned around to face his brother the door suddenly swung open and James, losing his grip on the door handle, stumbled forwards straight into his Mother.

'Ouch! James what are you doing?' Ginny said, bending down and rubbing the toe that James had stepped on.

'Mum! Um….' James looked across to his father who was still sitting at his desk looking at him curiously. There was an awkward silence before Albus stepped in.

'We just wanted to know if we could go to the park before dinner?' he said quickly.

Ginny looked at her two sons suspiciously but eventually said that they could go for half and hour.

'Take Lily with you as well,' Harry added.

'Ok,' Albus said brightly and pulled James back out the door.

Once the three of them were making their way to the park Albus sprung the question.

'So? What was it that you were so interested in?'

'Huh?' James responded, not really listening but thinking over what he had seen and heard.

'You know, what Mum and Dad were talking about!' Albus said a little more impatiently.

'Oh…it was nothing.'

'Don't do that!' Albus said stopping abruptly and spinning around to face his brother. "I'm the one who helped you out back there! If it wasn't for me you would still be standing in the doorway with your mouth open.'

James knew that was probably true, as much as he would hate to admit it. Albus always seemed to have an uncanny ability to be in places at just the right moment and know what he needed to do. But still, did he really want to share this with his little brother? Albus continued to stand in front of his brother, a determined expression burning on his face.

'Alright, I'll tell you,' James said after a few moments. Albus would only pester him for eternity if you didn't and even though James didn't like to admit it Albus had got him out of the situation pretty quickly.

James retold everything about the parchment from their Dad's draw – the black lines winding their way across the pages, how it was only something that seemed to work at Hogwarts and how both their parents had agreed that is was something that James should definitely not get a hold of.

'So, what do you think it is?' Albus asked after a few moments as they watched Lily flipping upside down from the climbing frame.

'Well…I don't know. It's something that Dad's had for a while because of Mum saying how much he got away with when he had it at school, like sneaking out to Hogsmeade and stuff.'

'And they don't want us to have it?'

'Well, what they actually said was _can you imagine this in James' hands?'_

'So…they may decided to pass it down to me then!' Albus said brightly.

'I doubt it,' James said, shooting him a look. 'What ever it is they seemed to think it would cause too much trouble.'

Albus' face fell slightly.

Anyway,' James said getting up after a few moments and wiping the grass off his jeans, 'I'll only have to wait until tonight.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm going to have a proper look aren't I?'

'What, snoop through Dad's stuff?'

"It's not _snooping_, I've already kind of seen it haven't I? I'll just see what it's all about that's all. Dad won't know.' James caught the look on Albus' face.

'What? You're not going to go and tell are you? I knew I shouldn't have told you!'

'No, I won't,' Albus said slowly, 'but you're not leaving me out on this one, I'm coming for a look to.'

James sighed, 'fine, just don't make as much noise as you did this morning.'

The clock that stood in the hallway was chiming quarter past twelve when James and Albus turned the door handle of their bedroom with a click and pulled it open. The lamp outside Lily's room was still on as always but other than that the rest of the house was in darkness. They made their way across the landing, past their parent's room whose door was slightly ajar and down the stairs to the bottom.

It was at this point that Albus started having second thoughts.

'You know, we could of just asked Dad about it. Wouldn't that be easier than this?'

'Are you serious? 'James answered.' There is no way that would happen, Dad was pretty sure that he wasn't going to pass it down so he's not going to show us is he? C'mon, we're just having a look aren't we? Now, turn the torch on before I walk head first into the hat stand.'

Albus sighed, but switched on the torch and followed his brother down the passage.

The study door swung open freely and James made his way over to the desk while Albus held the torchlight up. He found it at the very bottom of the drawer under piles of old papers and newspaper clippings. He pulled it out carefully and smoothed the page over with his hand.

'Now what?' Albus said coming closer. 'It just looks like an old piece of parchment to me!'

'Ah, it does now but watch this!' James took his wand out and pointed it to the parchment. ' I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!'

Black lines immediately began to snake their way across the page.

**Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers**

**are proud to present**

**the Marauders Map**

'Of course, a map of Hogwarts!' James said excitedly. He eagerly opened it to reveal a detailed outline of the grounds and castle of Hogwarts.

'But, it's just a map. What's so special about it?' Albus asked. 'You must already know where all these rooms are anyway look – Great Hall, Library, Transfiguration class room.'

'Yes, but there must be rooms or even secret passageways that we don't know about. How else would Dad have been able to sneak out to Hogsmeade and stuff?'

At that moment Bumble started scratching the outside of the door and then there was an almighty crash, the sounds of breaking glass and Bumble took off with a yelp down the hallway. James hurriedly folded the map back up muttering 'Mischief Managed' and stuffed it back under the papers in the drawer. Outside the doorway there was broken glass and water everywhere where Bumble had obviously tried to jump up onto the side table and knocked the fish tank off from where it used to be.

'Turn the torch off,' James whispered to Albus as they got to the bottom of the staircase. They managed to get up the stairs, running up two at a time, and past their parent's bedroom door just as Harry walked out and headed for the stairs muttering 'that darn cat of yours!'

The two boys made their way into their bedroom and into bed quietly. A few minutes later they heard their father coming back upstairs. He popped his head into the boys' room for a few seconds then closed the door slightly and moved towards Lily's room.

"So, happy now?' Albus said, once they heard their parent's bedroom door click shut. 'It wasn't really that exciting was it?

'I guess,' James said slowly.

* * *

The next few days were extremely busy at the Potter house leading up to the boys' departure for the start of term. Nothing was really said about the past evening apart from Bumble being even more on the outer with Harry after he had had to clean up the mess left by the smashed tank in the dark and bury two dead fish the next morning with a sobbing Lily by his side. Neither Harry nor Ginny seemed any the wiser about their Sons' night time curiosity. Albus was too excited leading up to his first day at Hogwarts to even think about the map, even though James tried several times to discuss it with him.

Two days later the boys and Lily were outside in the back garden playing when James broached the subject again.

'I might go down and have another look tonight.'

'Another look at what?' Albus asked as he examined his new wand for the 100th time, letting the sun gleam on it's polished wood.

'You know! The Map, you idiot.'

'Oh…that,' Albus replied. 'Why? We already looked at it.'

'Yeah, but not a proper look, Bumble ruined that didn't she?'

Albus stayed quiet.

'What?' James said feeling slightly annoyed. ' Oh, you're going to tell Dad aren't you? Tell him that I've been _snooping _around his study.'

'No.'

'Sure, that's what you do – all little brothers are the same. I should have just kept it to myself in the first place. Younger brothers are such a pain! I can't do anything with you hanging around me all the time – always running to Mum and Dad!'

"I do not!' Albus answered crossly, pointing his wand at his brother without realising what he was doing. James, who had his wand tucked into his back pocket took it out and pointed back at his brother.

'What are you going to do, hex me?' James said. 'I'd like to see you try, you don't know the first thing about using a wand yet.'

'Maybe I should tell Dad after all,' Albus said loudly getting to his feet.

'No you wont! I'll put a silencing charm on you just like that before you could say anything.'

'You don't know how to do anything like that I bet,' Albus shot back at once. 'Besides, your not allowed to do magic!'

'Oh yeah?' James twirled his wand around in little circles while still pointing it at Albus. 'Let's see, what spell shall I use? _Impedimenta_? _Deusaugio_?

Albus started backing away.

'Mum!'

'_Silenci _- '

Suddenly a burst of bright light shot from James' wand straight at Albus. Both boys were knocked off their feet and lay sprawled on the grass. Lily ran over.

'What did you two do?' she asked wide-eyed.

James looked over at Albus who was now kneeling, his wand laying five meters away. His lips were puckered and he had a strange look on his face.

'Al?' Lily asked. Albus put his fingers up to his mouth and looked as if he was trying to speak but no words would come out.

'Mum!' Lily called loudly, at which Ginny appeared at the back door with Bumble in her arms. 'Something's wrong with Al Mum!' Lily continued. Ginny put Bumble down on the back step and hurried over.

'Al, what's the matter?' she said leaning down to him. Then she noticed the wands discarded in the grass. 'Harry?' she called towards the house.

'He can't talk Mum!' Lily said, bending down to look at her brother.

'Yes, I can see that Lil,' Ginny said sharply.

It didn't take long for Harry to realise what had been going on once he saw the wands lying next to the boys. He pointed his own wand at Albus and said a counter jinx loudly. Albus spluttered as his lips unstuck themselves.

'Right,' Harry said loudly, 'stand up, both of you!' Both boys got to their feet quietly. 'I don't know why you both have your wands out here, but I _would _like to know how your lips got stuck together,' he said, pointing at Albus. Lily giggled but Ginny shot her a warning look and she stopped.

Albus didn't say anything but looked sheepishly at James. Harry rounded on him.

'Did you jinx your brother?'

James looked at the ground.

'I'm waiting,' Harry added.

'Yes.'

'James! What on earth did you think you were doing?' Ginny said angrily.

James continued to look at the ground and didn't answer.

'I think you need to go to your room, right now,' Harry said.

'But, Dad it was - '

'Right now!' Harry raised his voice.

James kicked the ground and then stalked off towards the house.

'And you stay there until I come up,' Harry called after him.

James got to his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. He threw himself onto his bed fuming. He hadn't meant for the jinx to happen, he didn't even realise he could do a jinx like that. He had only been playing around with Al, teasing him.

Harry came up to him fifteen minutes later.

'Right,' he said as he closed the bedroom door behind him. 'Al has told me his version of what went on out there so now I want to hear yours.'

_What had Al told him?_ James wondered to himself. _Had he said anything about the map as that was what really had started the whole thing?_

'Well?' Harry asked, folding his arms.

'We were just mucking around, Al was being annoying, like little brother annoying,' James said vaguely. 'I was just teasing him, pretending to do spells – it just happened. I didn't even know the jinx would work.'

'But it did!'

'I know.' James waited for his Dad to bring up the subject of the map but…

'How many times do we have to tell you that your wand is not a toy to be waved around? We've been through this before, when you set Bumble's tail on fire at Christmas, when you turned the Living room green. But to point it at your brother like that - '

'I know. I'm sorry.'

'If you know, why do you keep doing it? Not only could you have done something a lot more serious to your brother but it is also the fact that you are under-age!'

'But, the Ministry won't know it was me will they? How are they going to tell?'

'That is not the point, at all! And if that is your answer then I think you need to sit up here and think about it some more.'

'It was an accident though.'

'Accidental magic is one thing but deliberately pointing your wand at your brother and hexing him is something completely different – even if you didn't think the hex would work. You will stay up here for the rest of the day and your wand is staying with me until you get on the train to school. '

'But, Dad - '

'No, no more! You will do as your told and that's final.'

* * *

It was almost 7 O'clock when Albus knocked on the bedroom door and opened it. He had obviously been told to leave James alone for the afternoon. James was lying on his bed; he turned towards Albus as he walked into the room.

'Mum said you can come down for dinner,' Albus said quietly. James didn't say anything so Albus turned to go.

'You didn't tell them about the map?' James piped up suddenly. Albus turned back round and then came back into the room and shut the door.

'No, of course not…I mean…I went to have a look at it as well so…' his voice trailed off. James sat up.

'Thanks,' he said. 'I'm sorry about the jinx thing; I honestly didn't think anything would happen. I was just messing with you.

'That's ok. I know…so…you coming down?'

* * *

To Be Continued...


	3. Inheritance

Hi all, this chapter has once again taken a while to post... sorry about that! Well here it is and hopefully the next one wont be too far off!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story so far :)

As always I own nothing but an obsessed preoccupation with the world of Harry Potter. It's all J.K Rowlings!

**

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**** Chapter 3 **

**Inheritance**

The first of September finally arrived and the Potter house was alive with activity in the morning – packing the last belongings, going over the booklists one more time. The lip-locking incident had been and gone, although Lily couldn't help herself from occasionally bringing it up and giggling.

James had been fairly quiet for the next couple of days afterwards careful to keep in his parent's good books, but his usual self soon returned – teasing Albus about his classes and the possibility that he may be sorted into Slytherin.

'I won't be will I Dad?' Albus asked the night before leaving.

'Well that's up to the Sorting Hat but it does listen to your choices as well.'

'Hey, I never knew that!' James looked up looking slightly put out.

'Are you happy in Gryffindor?' Harry asked

'Yes.'

'Then it shouldn't matter. Besides if you are in Slytherin we will still be proud of you. Remember one of the people you are named after was a Slytherin.'

* * *

'Come on, James!' Harry called as he shut the boot of the car and handed the keys to Ginny. Lily and Albus were already settled in the back seat playing snap with some chocolate frog cards.

'I'll go and see what's taking him so long,' Ginny said and started to head back towards the house just as James emerged out the front door, closing it behind him as he came.

'I'm here,' he said breathlessly as he jumped into the backseat putting his backpack down by his feet.

'Alright, let's get going then – Rose and Hugo will be wondering where you both have got to!'

The drive into London's Kings Cross station was a smooth run and before long the entire family were making their way down platform 9 ¾ looking for the Weasleys through the thick steam pouring out from the train.

'There they are!' Lily shouted pointing and she ran through the crowd to where Ron and Hermione were standing with their two children Rose and Hugo.

'Where have you lot been?' Ron accused them with a grin on his face as they approached. 'We thought you weren't going to make it! Hi Gin!'

'Well, trying to get James out of the house on time is near impossible,' Harry answered, as he looked across to where Rose was showing off her new Hogwarts robes to Albus.

'C'mon then, we'd better get their luggage onto the train,' Ron said, grabbing the trolley that was standing next to him that had Rose's belongings piled onto it. 'You manage to park ok Harry?' Ron asked as the two men moved off towards one of the train compartments with their children's luggage and Albus and Rose in tow. Ginny and Hermione held back on the station platform talking with Lily holding her mother's hand tightly looking tearfully towards the train.

With luggage stowed safely away and the last round of hugs and kisses given, the compartment doors where clicked shut and the train began to move off slowly from the station platform. James was hanging out of one of the windows along with a couple of his friends waving madly while Albus was further up the train looking out the window with Rose, looking a little pale but never the less smiling and waving.

* * *

Albus was completely overwhelmed by Hogwarts for the first week. Leading up to the start of the term he had imagined many things about the castle, the grounds the lessons and finally getting to use a wand but the reality was certainly a lot different and so much more exciting than he had anticipated. He was missing Mum and Dad of course and three days in wrote them his first letter.

**Dear Mum and Dad,**

**Hope you and Lily and Bumble are good – Guess what? I 'm in Gryffindor! The hat took ages mind you and I did what you said Dad, I just kept thinking Gryffindor (but I think it was going to put me there anyway). Rose is a Gryffindor to! All my classes seem ok (I think James may have been right about History of Magic, don't tell him I said that though! Don't worry, I'm still listening in class and Rose is really good at taking notes :****)**

**I have Neville for Herbology, I haven't had a chance to talk to him properly though as he always seems kind of busy. We had to leave those jams you made outside his office door Mum cause we couldn't track him down after classes. Me and James went down to Hagrid's for dinner last night (you didn't warn us about his cooking!) he wants us to come for tea every week. He keeps telling us stories about you Dad :)****.**

**Anyway I'm going to go as I have to do some Potions homework (I don't think I am going to be very good at potions, yesterday my potion stuck to the bottom of my cauldron and it took ages to get it clean!)**

**Lots of love, ****Al xxx**

James was just happy to be back at Hogwarts with his friends. Although he had spent a lot of the summer holidays teasing Albus on what to expect at Hogwarts and at times terrifying him, he did find himself keeping an eye on his brother and sitting with him sometimes in the common room to play a game of chess or two.

_Looks like Mum and Dad's talk did rub off on me after all he thought to himself one night after helping Albus with his potions homework._

In the few weeks leading up to the boys leaving for school Harry and Ginny had sat James down and had a talk with him regarding various things – looking after Albus, keeping out of trouble, remembering to visit Hagrid, keeping out of trouble, remembering to write and keeping out of trouble to name a few.

'I had no-one to look after me!' James had said, a little annoyed that he was being asked to 'baby-sit' his brother, but he had since surprised himself by how keen he was to be brotherly.

It was, perhaps, this newfound sense of closeness that prompted James to seek his brother out one Saturday morning during the second week back.

'Hey, shorty! Come up to my dorm, there's something I want to show you,' James said once there were no other people listening.

'What?' Albus asked, not looking up from his copy of _Transfiguration for Beginners_.

'Just come, c'mon,' James said, moving towards the spiral staircase which lead to the dorms.

Albus looked at his brother for a moment then sighed, closed the book and followed.

Once up in the second year's dorm room James shut the door and pulled his trunk out from underneath his bed glancing at his brother once more.

'I can trust you right? Because you didn't tell Mum or Dad about the map after I jinxed you.'

'Yeah, but why…what's going on?'

James turned back to his trunk and retrieved something from the bottom then turned around again to face his brother with a piece of old looking parchment in his hands.

'You didn't!' Albus said, crouching down next to his brother. 'Oh, you are going to be in _so_ much trouble.'

'Mum and Dad won't even know – I'm going to put it back when we go home for Christmas.'

'But, what about before then? Aren't they going to realise it's gone?'

'Come off it! Dad said himself he hadn't taken it out for years. I could probably keep it all year and they wouldn't know.'

'But, what are you going to do with it anyway? It's only a map, we already figured that out.'

James shook his head.

'Nah, it's not just a map – watch this!' He muttered the words as he had used them before and the black lines snaked their way across the pages. This time something was different though.

'What are all those moving dots?'

'Have a closer look,' James said, grinning.

'It's people!'

'Uh-huh, it shows where everyone is at any exact time – neat, huh?' James said as he took the map back from Albus. Albus looked at his brother and saw an expression he knew well.

'What are you planning?'

'What? Oh, nothing really, I just want to do a bit of exploring that's all. See if there are any hidden rooms, secret passages – all that stuff. There's bound to be if Dad found it so useful, and the fact that is shows you precisely where everyone is at the time there is no chance of getting caught!'

'Until Mum and Dad find it missing,' Albus said a few moments later under his breath.

**TBC...**

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End file.
